FOUR SISTERS, ALL QUEENS by Sherry Jones

PUBLISHER’S BLURB:

Rich in intrigue and scheming, love and lust, Sherry Jones’s vibrant historical novel follows four women destined to sway the fate of nations and the hearts of kings. . . .

Amid the lush valleys and fragrant wildflowers of Provence, Marguerite, Eléonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice have learned to charm, hunt, dance, and debate under the careful tutelage of their ambitious mother—and to abide by the countess’s motto: “Family comes first.” With Provence under constant attack, their legacy and safety depend upon powerful alliances. Marguerite’s illustrious match with the young King Louis IX makes her Queen of France. Soon Eléonore—independent and daring—is betrothed to Henry III of England. In turn, shy, devout Sanchia and tempestuous Beatrice wed noblemen who will also make them queens. Yet a crown is no guarantee of protection. Enemies are everywhere, from Marguerite’s duplicitous mother-in-law to vengeful lovers and land-hungry barons. Then there are the dangers that come from within, as loyalty succumbs to bitter sibling rivalry, and sister is pitted against sister for the prize each believes is rightfully hers—Provence itself. From the treacherous courts of France and England, to the bloody tumult of the Crusades, Sherry Jones traces the extraordinary true story of four fascinating sisters whose passions, conquests, and progeny shaped the course of history.

RHFL CLASSIFICATIONS:

ROMANTIC BIOGRAPHICAL FICTION

MIDDLE AGES

Heat rating – 1/mild

REVIEW RATING: Five (5) Stars

REVIEWER: Suzan Tisdale

Four Sisters, All Queens follows the lives of four women from 13th Century Europe. They are the daughters of Beatrice of Savoy, Provance, France. The story follows the lives of Marguerite, Queen of France, Eleonore, Queen of England, Sanchia, Queen of Germany, and Beatrice, Queen of Sicily. This is a beautifully written novel and cannot be considered your ‘typical’ historical romance. There are no damsels in distress, no knights in shining armor rushing in to save the day. There is no regency setting with coming out balls. But, this is a romance novel nonetheless.

Unique is one word I would use to describe this book. Unique in that while I read this beautifully written story, I was learning something. Ms. Jones does a remarkable job at teaching you about the public lives of these women while taking you into their personal, behind-the-throne lives. You might ask ‘where is the romance’? Its there, trust me, and on a level I can honestly say I’m not used to. While there are no heaving bosoms, no throws of passion, this is a story about how and why these women come love these men, their kings, their husbands.

Family first is their motto. Ms. Jones does a remarkable job showing what that means to each woman. She shows what each gives up in order to help their husbands and their children. Sacrifice, political intrigue, romance, murder plots all intertwined together to leave you admiring these strong women. And they are strong. Ms. Jones has a way of describing a scene, right down to the lavish meals and rich clothing, without droning on and on. There are no boring, lets skip past this moments in the book. I honestly could not put it down.

Captivating, breathtaking, splendid, those are just a few words to describe this wonderfully written novel. The heat level is a 0, but trust me when I say this book doesn’t require heaving bosoms and throws of passion in the traditional sense. Ms. Jones shows you the love, adoration and passion between the queens and their kings, but in a very exceptional and exquisite way. You’ll just have to read it to understand what I mean!

ABOUT THE REVIEWER:

Suzan is both writer and reader of historical romance. Her first novel Laiden’s Daughter was released in December 2011. She is currently working on book two, Findley’s Lass, which is set for release later this year.

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Thank you, Suzan, for this wonderful review — one of the best written among reviews of FOUR SISTERS, ALL QUEENS. You’ve got me dancing in my seat! I am so glad you enjoyed my novel, and I’m excited to read “Laiden’s Daughter.”

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